A Calgary businessman is suing Mayor Naheed Nenshi for $190,000, accusing him of describing him using Italian racial stereotypes..The lawsuit comes six years after Nenshi was ordered to pay close to $300,000 in city legal bills, after allegedly calling Calgary businessman Cal Wenzel a mobster..The latest case was filed Monday in Court of Queen’s Bench by city developer Mike Terringo, a former lawyer, who alleges two incidents of slander..The statement of claim said Nenshi first made the comments on May 11, 2017, to a member of city council, who has since come forward as a whistleblower and the second, at a later time that day to another councillor, who has also come forward as a whistleblower..The statement said even though they happened in 2015, Terringo only became aware of them during depositions made on December 3, 2019, during a separate lawsuit he has against Coun. Druh Farrell..The identities of the whistleblowers cannot be made public under law..Terrigno denies the allegations that were allegedly made by Nenshi..The suit alleges Nenshi made the comments for the “predominant purpose of destroying or injuring the reputation of the Plaintiff.”.The claim said Terringo has suffered “irreparable harm to his reputation and good standing in the community.”.“Nenshi has been guilty of reprehensible, insulting, high-handed, spiteful, malicious and oppresive conduct,” the suit claims..It claims $125,000 in general damages and and $65,000 in punitive damages..A statement of defence against the unproven allegations has not yet been filed..A spokesman for Neshi told the The Western Standard: “The matter is before the courts and being vigorously defended.”.In 2015, Nenshi and homebuilder Wenzel reached an out-of-court settlement ending Wenzel’s $6-million defamation lawsuit against the mayor after he referred to him as a “Godfather.”.At the time, Nenshi publicly denied that he would use public funds to defend himself, but it was later revealed that he billed the city $284,835.07 for his defence. Nenshi said that he would fundraise to repay taxpayers..The out of court settlement required that Nenshi apologize, acknowledge that Wenzel did not violate elections laws, and agree that it was not his intent to suggest Wenzel is the head of a criminal organization..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.TWITTER: Twitter.com/nobby7694
